It's Winter. You have stuff to do, though.

We are officially in winter now.  Historically, the worst parts of winter lay ahead of us in the months of January and February. Though much of the country is expecting a mild winter as far as adverse conditions go, there’s always the possibility that large swaths of the continent will be shellacked with snow or other winter precipitation at any given time.  What is a person to do whilst otherwise imprisoned by the cold and yuck? Follow along and we’ll give you some great suggestions!

1. Clean Your Gear

Cleaning guns and straightening out the work bench are great snowy weather jobs for you. 

Double check all of your guns, air and otherwise, for the formation of rust! It only takes one touch in some cases to start the formation of ugly, destructive rust. Break out your cleaning kit and get to work wiping them down and cleaning barrels.  

This is also a great time to clean and maintain your outdoor power equipment.  If you haven’t done so already, drain the remaining fuel from your string trimmer, hedge clippers, chainsaw, or lawnmower and run them until all the remaining fuel is burned. Even allegedly “ethanol free” fuel is still likely to have traces of ethanol in them.  Ethanol will gum up your carburetor and cause lots of trouble in the spring when you go to use these tools. 

2. Organize Your Gun Safe/Garage/Shop

Organizing tools and gear makes for easy access when you next need it.  

Sometimes stasis is interrupted by immediate need.  If your gun safe, garage, or shop has been disrupted by a use or household project, take this time to clean up, consolidate, and otherwise re-organize your gear.  This is especially important after a move, but any project that has required lots of tools or access to your stuff can lead to putting them away in a rush.  With an abundance of time, you go through it all and pack it away right. 

3. Throw it Away

Elmo was shocked to learn that the author had not used his camera in over a year.

This one is hard for me. I don’t like to throw away stuff.  I am bad about holding on to a good used car part, tool, or “raw material” that can be repurposed into something later.  The official rule for storing stuff is, “If you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it.” The rental storage industry makes a living off of people like me. 

That said, going through the contents of your stored gear to determine what you really need versus what you can throw away, sell, or give away is a great way to spend a cold snow day. 

A storage box like this used job box makes for a great organizing tool for your shop or garage. 

It’s not rocket surgery.  Cleaning up, organizing, and jettisoning unused gear is just a part of life. It’s also a part of life that is best done on less than ideal days, so you can save your sunny and warm spring days for having fun with the family or tackling the next project around the house.